Strawberry Bubble Tea
on Apr 12, 2025
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Delicious and perfectly sweet caffeinated strawberry milk tea with boba is surprisingly easy to make at home. Get step-by-step instructions and expert tips from a tea sommelier.
Recipe Summary
- Strawberry bubble tea is a fruity, caffeinated drink made with green tea, strawberry syrup, milk, ice, and tapioca balls.
- Store-bought or homemade strawberry syrup is used to sweeten and flavor the drink.
- Tapioca balls are the “bubble” (or boba) in bubble tea. This recipe uses dry, store-bought tapioca balls that can be cooked in hot water.
- My secret to the best bubble tea is to make it with very warm tapioca balls. It makes a huge difference.
RELATED: 17 Bubble Tea Recipes
Note from Jee
I made this strawberry bubble tea with green tea so it’s caffeinated. I find strawberries and green tea to be a tasty combo so it was a no-brainer in finding the right tea to go in this drink.
For drinks like this where you have milk and syrup, you don’t have to use a high quality green tea so feel free to make this drink with tea bags.
Ingredient Notes
- Green tea: Loose tea, tea sachets, or tea bags can be used but I prefer using green tea in tea bags for making this drink since it’s easy, mess-free, and I don’t need the highest quality tea. Any kind of green tea can be used.
- Tapioca balls: They’re sold dry so you just need to boil them in water to soften them up.
- Strawberry syrup: The syrup what gives this drink its pretty pink color and sweet, strawberry flavor. Use store-bought or homemade strawberry syrup, but if you’re using homemade, make it ahead of time.
- Milk: Whole milk is used to make the drink creamy, but any kind of milk can be used.
- Water: Water is used to cook the boba and to make the green tea. Use filtered water, if possible, for the tea.
- Ice: Use filtered water to make ice for a better tasting drink.
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Steep tea in hot water. Discard tea bags and let tea cool.
Step 2: Cook tapioca balls. Follow directions on package but all that’s involved is boiling tapioca balls in water for a few minutes.
Step 3: Put tapioca balls into a cup and add strawberry syrup. Add ice and cooled down tea.
Step 4: Top with milk. Serve immediately. Stir before drinking.
Recipe Notes
If you’re using homemade strawberry syrup, make that first.
The syrup can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. The syrup will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Use hot, but not too hot, tapioca balls.
My secret to making the best bubble tea is to make the drink while the tapioca balls still hot, but not too hot. The very warm tapioca balls have the perfectly soft, chewy texture. Just be sure the tapioca balls aren’t too hot since you don’t want to burn your mouth.
Make it extra creamy with half & half.
Instead of milk, half & half will make the drink decadent and delicious.
Expert Tips
- The green tea can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Boba can’t be made ahead of time since they’ll start to harden after 4 hours. Ideally, boba should be made, cooled down a bit, then served right away in a drink.
- Bubble tea is served with a wide straw so that you’ll get some tapioca balls each time you take a sip of the drink. Make sure to chew the tapioca balls.
RELATED: Matcha Bubble Tea
Related
- Strawberry Matcha Latte Bubble Tea
- Brown Sugar Bubble Tea
- Jasmine Bubble Tea
- Thai Bubble Tea
- Taro Bubble Tea
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Strawberry Bubble Tea
Ingredients
Strawberry Milk Tea
- 2 tea bags green tea
- ⅔ cup water
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ cup strawberry syrup
- 1 cup ice
Tapioca Balls
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup tapioca balls
Instructions
- Make tea. Boil ⅔ cup of water.If using an electric kettle with a temperature setting, set the water to 175°F. Use filtered water if possible.
- Steep tea bags in hot water for 3 minutes. Discard tea sachets and let tea cool.
- Cook tapioca balls. Boil 2 cups of water and add tapioca balls.Boil water in a saucepan on the stovetop then add tapioca balls. Cook on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Tapioca balls should be soft all the way through.(Follow directions on your tapioca ball packaging if you're using a different brand than the one I’m using.)
- Drain tapioca balls.
- Assemble the drink. Put hot, but not too hot to eat, tapioca balls into a cup and add strawberry syrup. Add ice, green tea, and milk.Use an extra wide straw to drink. Serve immediately and stir before drinking.
Notes
- If you’re using homemade strawberry syrup, make that first. It can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. The syrup will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
- The green tea can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Whole milk is used to make the drink creamy, but any kind of milk can be used. Half & half will make the drink extra creamy.
- My secret to making the best bubble tea is to make the drink while the tapioca balls still hot, but not too hot. The very warm tapioca balls have the perfectly soft, chewy texture.
- Boba can’t be made ahead of time since they’ll start to harden after 4 hours. Ideally, boba should be made, cooled down a bit, then served right away in a drink.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i love this recipe i was using it for essay/recipe writing about boba and it is awesome
I usually buy strawberry milk teas from the local boba shops, and this recipe tastes just like it! I left out the boba, but the strawberry milk tea is sooo good! Great job and thanks for the recipe!